Answer two questions. We’ll point you to the right system.
Tenant moving in mid-month? Work out the first payment.
Charges from the move-in day through the end of the month. Some leases prorate differently, so check your lease and your state’s rules.
Longer walkthroughs on screening and documentation.
- Getting a Tenant Moved In How to Pre-Screen Tenants: Questions to Ask Before a Showing
- Getting a Tenant Moved In How to Build Your Tenant Screening Criteria
Four steps, in order. You do not need all of it on day one.
- 1Decide who you will rent to
Write your screening criteria down before you list, so every applicant is judged the same way.
Read the guide → - 2Screen consistently
Ask the same questions in the same order, and keep a record of the answers.
Read the guide → - 3Document the handover
Photograph and record the condition of the unit before the keys change hands.
See the inspection form → - 4Put a system behind it
Rent records, maintenance logs, and notices, so nothing lives only in your memory.
Browse the templates →
Terms that show up in leases and notices.
General definitions to help you read your own documents. They are not legal advice and specifics vary by state.
Security deposit
Money held during the tenancy to cover unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear. Limits, handling, and return timelines are set by your state.
Normal wear and tear
The gradual decline expected from ordinary living, like faded paint or light carpet wear. Generally cannot be deducted from a deposit.
Notice to enter
Written notice a landlord gives before entering an occupied unit. Required timing and acceptable reasons vary by state.
Cure or quit
A notice giving a tenant a set period to fix a lease violation or move out.
Adverse action
Denying an application, or approving on worse terms, based on a screening report. Federal law requires you to tell the applicant when this happens.
Co-signer / guarantor
Someone who signs the lease agreeing to pay if the tenant does not, usually without living in the unit.
Prorated rent
A partial first or last month of rent, calculated when a tenancy does not start or end on the first of the month.
Assistance animal
A service animal or emotional support animal. Fair housing rules treat these differently from pets, including around pet fees.